Geffen Playhouse

The RFA design for the adaptive re-use and renovation of the Geffen Playhouse provides dynamic and flexible "state-of-the-art" live theater facilities. The original 1929 structure, a Masonic Club, is identified in the Los Angeles Westwood Village Specific Plan as a Cultural Resource eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. The design goals and scope included:
• Adaptive reuse and renovation, modernization, seismic strengthening and historic restoration for the 1929 building, which was not designed for live theater.
• Renovated main house theater for 512 patrons with improved seating, sight lines, acoustics.
• Recreate the main stage with a taller proscenium, new wing space, demountable stage with traps and understage, theatrical lighting and rigging.
• Careful addition of a new contemporary 3 story building with a 120 seat 2nd stage, administrative & production offices, cast dressing rooms for stars and chorus, green room, essential back of house
support areas and a new landscaped entry terrace.
• Preserving the romantic charm and intimacy of the original historic structure while providing dramatically improving comfort and amenities for patrons.
• Provide Fire/Life/safety upgrades of the historic structure to be compliant with current codes